Rant and advice from Rodgon the Artist!

I’m pretty sure the universe is working against me. I wanted to post this video last night, but my hard drive crashed (she will be missed), and this morning a WordPress plugin issue kept me out of Atomic Moo for a bit. Oh, and I threw my back out. Not really a technical issue, but it really hurts to blog with a bad back.

Anyways… before I jump into a morning of Atomic Tails work (#25 is almost done!), I wanted to post this video from Rodgon the Artist. He has a ton of youtube videos teaching slobs like me how to cartoon and illustrate, and I’ve become a really big fan of his work. I wanted to post this video (Originally published last November), because art block is a huge problem for me. I very much want to illustrate and work on my webcomics, but even when I have the time to work in my sketch book, or finish a comic, I some how just piss the time away. In this video, Rodgon goes over three ways to beat your own artist block.

Real quick I’m going to try and paraphrase the three top points of the video, which are:

1. Build a huge mental library of stuff you can draw from memory. Which is something I’m trying now. For Atomic Tails I spend a lot of time practicing drawing Looney Tunes and Tom and Jerry characters, ref sheets, and even just pausing the cartoons. It’s not to rip off the characters, but to learn how they were made and maybe make something of my own. There’s even a book I’m reading right now by Austing Kleon called Steal Like an Artist that covers this area a bit.2. Create a creative circle. Not where I’m at my strongest, but having created a website like Atomic Moo and meeting tons of great creatives through the Moocast and cons, I really do know how important this is. Cuttently; outside of a few people on the internet I don’t really have a lot of people I go to for inspiration, motivation, or advice. So, this is something I’m going to start working on.3. Beat your depression. Both Chud and I have had huge issues with self-esteem and depression, and I get the value of dealing with your issues in a healthy way. However, that may be.

Okay, so check out the video below while I go and draw some cartoon mice. Hopefully I’ll have a comic to post by the end of the day. To see more of Rodgon’s illustration work checkout his website at Rodgon.com

Help Support the latest Kickstarter from UGLI Studios!

Hello again El Moochadores! I apologize for the long hiatus since our last post, but I’m back now (mostly) and ready to Moopost!

So, to get back in the spirit of creativity and independent comics, check out this Kickstarter from one of our favorite indie comic creator forissue #2 of Lords of the Cosmos! Created by Jason Lenox and Ugli Studios, Lords of the Cosmos is Sci-fi/fantasy adventure in the spirit of He-Man, Conan, or Thundercats! Issue #2, when funded, will have 44 pages and feature a continuation of the main story featured in issue one, as well as three new short stories. There will also be several variant covers and pin-up illustrations featured in the comic.

You can check out the KS promo video and a few sample images pulled from the Kickstarter page below. For more information on the comic and contributor rewards, click the Kickstarter link above!

New Cosplay Video from Beat Down Boogie

Beat Down Boogie is back from the Midwest with another groovy video and cosplay photos. Check out their stylish coverage of MAGfest 2018, and a little fun from Snake and Ghost in the arcade. MAGFest (Music And Gaming Festival) is a four day, non-profit, event held annually in National Harbor MD. Looks like a lot of fun, and (if they allow cool illustration vendors like us) we may get out there. Anyways, check out all the fun below and hit this Facebook link to see way more photos! I only posted a smattering of images below.

The Illustrations of Eric Geusz

Hello again, El Moochadores! I just got done working out and I’m still kind of “twitchy” so excuse any typos here. However; I didn’t have to go very far down my Facebook feed this morning to find some cool stuff to post about! Brought to us by A Different type of Art on the old FB, check out this fantastic illustration work by artist Eric Geusz (aka: Sapcegoose on the Instagram), where in he takes everyday objects and draws ’em up as spaceships. I mean, we all did this as little kids, right? Where we would take something like a remote, or whatever, and pretend it was a cool spaceship of some kind, because our parents were cheap and refused to buy us any toy a normal kid might have… I kind of think my life would’ve been way different had I owned a bunch of Transformers instead of a hand full of cheap ass Go-bots and some used up sparkplugs. Sigh. Anyways, it’s just cool to see that same imagination played out so well by a talented illustrator. Anyways, check out a few samples below, and be sure to follow him (@spacegoose) on Instagram. Also, give Different King of Art a “like” on Facebook.

Drawing tips from DrawingWiffWaffles!

How’s it going, El Moochadores? Good, probably. Why not. Anyways, check out this awesome little video from Drawingwiffwaffles on the youtube! In this video Mrs. Waffles (maybe it’s Miss…) lays down five tips for improving the overall look of your sketchbook. Which in my case would really help. That shambling mess on the right here is a page of my own sketch book. Not so much art as it is a spastic sneeze with pencil and ink.
So, Miss Wiffwaffles tips are based around the idea of Contrast! which is:

the state of being strikingly different from something else, typically something in juxtaposition or close association.

So go on and check out the video below. She has a fantastic illustrative style and a cute “snorty” laugh. It’s great. Both the video and the laugh. Also, feel free to post links to your sketchbook in the comments below or any advice you’ve found helpful.

Happy new 2018, El Moochadores! As we’re just beginning this new year, I wanted to get on here an thank everyone who visited our sites, or bought an illustration from us online, or at a con last year. Though Atomic Moo is mostly a learning experience for us, we appreciate any support we can get. Last year, was a chance for us to fix a lot of personal problems, and I feel like we’re a little bit better prepared to continue our goal of becoming professional artists and creators. This year we are going to continue to post/blog about all the great independent work we encounter in the world of comics, cosplay, and fan film/music, but we’re also going to focus a lot on improving our skills, and finishing projects. It’s always bugged me that we couldn’t get the Atomic Moo comic together, and a goal (resolution) this year is to get the remaining pages illustrated and have an official Atomic Moo comic! Which as I write this is going to be really tough, because I also want to keep up with my own webcomic (Atomic Tails), and Chud and I have a few print projects planned (almost finished too!) for this year. So, for the blog side of the Moo, look forward to a lot of drawing and painting tutorials, because I’ll be using those to get the comic going!

I also want to keep the “geek creative” side of Atomic Moo alive. It was by doing the “Moocast” and interviewing creatives that got us into making our own stuff, and since stopping the Moocast in 2016 I feel like we’ve drifted away from that inspiration which has hurt us. So, this next year I would also like to kick off the Moocast again and do regular post about the cool indie stuff we encounter at cons and online. Also, also, if you’re a creator and want us to share your project with our tiny (wee, miniscule even!) visitors, please let us know! Sourcing content is a huge time sink and I’m always in need of content, and it’s just cool to see fresh ideas outside the norm. Which is very much where we reside. Way outside the norm…

2017 was a pretty good year for us, and I have a feeling that 2018 is going to be even better.

An Atomic Moo Book Review!

Happy Holidays, El Moochadores! For today’s post I got a hold of Titan Books’s hardcover Justice League: The Art of the Film! Now, I dug the book, but I can’t say anything about the movie itself because I haven’t seen it yet. Which is not a criticism of the film, I’ve just been either too busy, or too broke (or a combination of the two), to see films this last year. Anyways… Let’s review a book!

I think I enjoy “Art of” books way more than I do actual films anymore. Everyone of these books is filled with beautiful set design, concept art, costumes, and background information that appeals to my creative side, and Justice League: Art of the Film is no exception. The book begins with a forward by DC’s Geoff Johns and an introduction by the films producer, Charles Roven, then dives into over 200 pages of the films art production. Along with detailed images of concept art and costume concepts is a quote from the production staff or performer about the set, prop, or costume being used. There’s even one page which shows all the background Logo, poster, and ad work produced to flesh out their world. Which with us being design nerds, was kind of cool to see.

I also enjoyed the variety of costume designs featured in the book. Most of the images are labeled as “concept” so I don’t know how much of it made it into the film, but I kind of wish cosplayers would pay more attention to books like this. These books are awesome reference sources for costume ideas. It’d be great to see cosplayers bring these costumes to conventions instead of the now standard issued Deadpool and Harley Quinn that fill up every con. Also, I’m glad to see the kept the Wonder Woman costume hot ‘n sexy. What with this weird liberal puritanism fucking up our culture and creativity, its nice to some sexy back on screen. Though, that might just be Gal Gadot. I’m pretty sure see could wear a cardboard box and still be hot. Actually… that is hot. ANYWAYS, the other costume details about Flash, Batman, and the other heroes were also interesting to read and see in detail.

The film’s reviews haven’t been great, but this art book is actually pretty cool, and if you’re into costume design, set design, or even FX work, you might want to pick up a copy for yourself. You can get your own copy (why not, you got some Christmas cash coming in! X-mas bonus!!!) of Justice League: The Art of the Film in all major book stores or online at titanbooks.com!

Check out a proper synopsis, a few sample images, along with a trailer of the film! Sorry about some of the quality of the images, I had to use my iPhone and I wanted to show what the book actually looked like. Not just images pulled from the web – like above.

Cheers!

Inspired by Superman’s selfless act, Batman and Wonder Woman work quickly to find and recruit a team of metahumans – Aquaman, Cyborg, and The Flash – to save the planet from an assault of catastrophic proportions. Packed with stunning concept art, sketches, costume detail, stills, and behind-the-scenes shots from the set, this book is an invaluable insight into the world of Justice League.

New Chud and Trog Comic!

Hello again, El Moochadores! Yesterday I finished another Atomic Tails!, and it only took me two months. Yeah, really really bad. Anyways, check out the new comic strip below, and also go check out past comics at the Atomic Tails Archive page. You can also check out Trog’s Blog where I write (ponder) about making the comic. Also, please follow Atomic Tails on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Just search for Atomic Tails and look for cartoon mice.

7 Simple Tips from Alphonso Dunn

Ok El Moochadores, the break is over and we’re back to posting again. On the bright side, I’m just about done with the next Atomic Tails comic and we’re back to work on Atomic Moo #1. So, yes we have been working, but I need to get my drawing skills up as we do all this. So there’s going to be a lot more drawing tutorials and art book reviews on here to help keep me motivated!

So, let’s kick things off with a little help on how to draw everyday from Alphonso Dunn on the Youtube. Though I’m not going to list them here (watch the video) Dunn has some really good advice for staying consistent and setting expectations. I really liked his advice on keeping two sketch books; one for practice and study, the other for more finished work. You can see more of Dunn’s work on his Instagram. Now, I am very late for work and I have to run, but I’ll find some time to draw today and update this post with my sketch.

Funny CGI Animated Film

Hello again, El Moochadores! We’re back from a Thanksgiving up in Salt Lake City! The trip was a lot of fun, and it was good to see our old mother and fat brothers again. Salt Lake is a pretty awesome place too. Lots of good sites and restaurants, and (best of all) Dr. Volts Comic Comic Connection is only a few blocks away from my Mom’s place. It was a short walk to the store, and they offered us cookies on the way out! I love that shop. Anyways, we’re back now so I can start my semi-regular posts again.

For today’s post I found a funny CGI animation from CG Record on the Youtube. The video is in… not English, so read the subtitles. I don’t know if this is a weird ad, or just meant to be funny, but I love the squirrel who thinks he can fly. FYI, I’m pretty sure power lines don’t work like that, and the owl would probably just eat the squirrel. Still funny though. Check it out, while I get my post Thanksgiving life in order – which mostly involves a lot of trips to the bathroom.